(19 December 2014) Open Letter concerning the arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detentions of Dr Amin Mekki Medani, Mr Farouq Abu Eissa, and Dr Farah Ibrahim Mohamed Alagar by the Government of Sudan.

Just before midnight on 6 December 2014, the Government of Sudan’s NISS arrested two prominent public figures on their return from political negotiations held in Addis Ababa between Sudanese political and armed opposition groups. A large number of personnel from the NISS, arriving in six vehicles, arrested Dr Amin Mekki Medani, (m), 75 years of age, and Mr Farouq Abu Eissa, (m), 78 years of age, from their homes in Khartoum. Although their families were not informed of the reasons for the arrests, the men were detained after signing the “Sudan Call” on 3 December in Addis Ababa.

The “Sudan Call” is a declaration that commits signatories to work towards the end of the conflicts raging in different regions of Sudan. The document also pledges to work towards legal, institutional and economic reforms. Dr Amin Mekki Medani signed the document on behalf of a group of civil society actors. Mr Farouq Abu Eissa signed on behalf of the Sudanese National Consensus Forces – an umbrella of political opposition parties – in his capacity as Chairperson of that group.

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” (Elie Wiesel)

(8 September 2014) Expressing our alarm and concern with the ongoing bombardment, loss of innocent lives and destruction of properties and livelihood in Darfur, and Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan and Blue Nile, where the government of Sudan has dropped over 3,000 bombs since April 2012,

Offering our deepest sympathies to those who lost their lives, those displaced and the millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance, Remembering that the Sudanese government has a history of genocide in the Darfur region,

We concerned Sudanese and international civil society organizations working for Sudan, hereby issue the following statement:

The Government of Sudan is continuously committing major atrocities in avoidable wars in Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur. These conflicts have now affected over six million people.

The International community must act to end Sudan’s “unprecedented and intense” bombing of civilians

(10 June 2014) A coalition of 46 organizations, including the International Refugee Rights Initiative, providing humanitarian assistance or supporting peace efforts in Sudan has written to the UN Security Council, the African Union Peace and Security Council and the League of Arab States demanding an end to the “targeting of civilians by the Government of Sudan and associated armed militia” and an independent investigation of recent attacks.

According to their letter, the recent bombing has reached an intensity that is “unprecedented” in the history of the conflict in South Kordofan which reached its third year anniversary this month.

The coalition states that attacks on civilians and their property are occurring far from the frontlines of the conflict where there are no military targets, and therefore may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. They require immediate and impartial investigation to establish the facts and responsibility for any crimes committed.

These coordinated air and ground attacks are part of an escalating military campaign across the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile) and Darfur which the Government of Sudan has publicly proclaimed is designed to crush the protracted armed rebellions.

The coalition has presented the UN Security Council, African Union and League of Arab States with verified evidence from the ground to back up its claims. Video footage and photographs show the destruction over four days in late May when close to 60 bombs were dropped from jets and Antonov aircraft on Kauda, the unofficial capital of rebel territory in South Kordofan.